As the case of alleged domestic assault against prominent contractor David A. Chase continues to move through the Davidson County justice system, we are left to wonder whether the larger message is being ignored by the very individuals who need to hear it the most.

The message is that in Davidson County and throughout Tennessee, domestic violence is not being taken seriously enough. Yes, there are vocal proponents who are trying to change that, but it seems there are just as many, perhaps more, in positions of authority who are happy with the status quo.

We have only to look at official crime statistics to be reminded of the status quo: Last year, Tennessee ranked No. 6 among states for highest rate of murder of women in domestic violence situations. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation reports 77,540 Tennesseans in 2013 were victims of domestic abuse, and 51.4 percent of all crimes committed against individuals in Tennessee involved domestic violence. The victims who survive these attacks are subjected to severe physical and emotional trauma; most have children who are victimized as well.

Knowing these numbers, Nashville leaders presented recommendations for improving response to domestic violence in the city’s justice and law enforcement system, developed from a task force’s domestic violence safety and accountability assessment. One of the main problem areas identified at that announcement was that more than 40 percent of domestic violence suspects were being released by night court commissioners before their statutory 12-hour hold was fulfilled.

So, when General Sessions Judge Casey Moreland earlier this month waived a 12-hour hold based on a phone conversation with the suspect’s attorney and, according to police, the suspect made a second assault on the same woman within a matter of hours, it should be very clear why many, including Metro Police Chief Steve Anderson, were upset.

Backlash emerges

Instead, there has been a backlash, especially in the legal community, suggesting this case has been sensationalized and is little more than a rush to judgment. In fact, news media, Chief Anderson and other leaders have carefully avoided such declarations.

It is emblematic of our state’s and our community’s long tolerance of domestic abuse that there still are those who would prefer to keep it out of the public eye — and that is the primary reason why it has become such a pervasive crime here.

The statute setting the 12-hour cooling-off period was implemented by those who understand that domestic violence is unlike other categories of crime, characterized by the perpetrator’s impassioned anger, access to the victim and a pattern of violators repeating their assaults.

The statute does allow judges discretion, but that does not mean every exercise of discretion is appropriate. The circumstances for granting waivers should be extraordinary. And clearly, with 40 percent of arrestees in 2013 released early, good judgment is not being followed.

It may be that the new agreement signed by all 11 Davidson County General Sessions judges requiring domestic cases to be determined by the three judges assigned to domestic cases will be a positive start. But there needs to be a firm commitment from across the legal community and the public that suspected domestic abusers are not someone to be winked at and sent on their way.